


don't be a stranger

by dytabytes



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Kaiju, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-26
Updated: 2013-10-26
Packaged: 2017-12-30 12:25:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1018587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dytabytes/pseuds/dytabytes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world without kaiju or jaegers, Raleigh Becket wakes up in a strange bed. AKA: A shamelessly fluffy morning after!fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	don't be a stranger

**Author's Note:**

  * For [snack_size](https://archiveofourown.org/users/snack_size/gifts).



> Thanks, as usual, to my beta blackcatbone, who is amazing and wonderful and made of rainbows c:
> 
> This is not, in fact, set in the same universe as Drip Compatible. Yancy Becket just has terrible texting habits in every single universe I write.

Raleigh wakes up to the insistent buzz of his phone. It must have been going for a while, because when he opens it up, there’s a ton of messages waiting for him. All of them are from the same person.

“Ugh, Yancy.”

He rubs at his eyes, peripherally aware that he’s not in his bed, but more focussed on reading the novel that Yancy’s sent him, because before coffee, the best he can do is one thing at a time, thanks.

_9:01:44: hey lil bro ur not in your bed where u at_

_9:03:32: oshit u still with the guy you left with_

_9:06:14 : oh man oh man good job playa_

_9:17:21: raaaaaaaals_

_9:18:18: raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaals_

_9:18:25: earth to raleigh becket_

_9:18:47: for srs text me so i know ur not dead_

_9:19:02: he didnt have serial killer vibes but idk man_

_9:20:11: raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa_

Raleigh scrubs more at his face, because, the guy he left with? He twists to look over his shoulder and, ah, yup, that’s a naked back. It’s a very fine naked back, too, actually. He files “lick freckles” in the back of his mind on his to-do list after “don’t get kicked out for once”, because a man can dream, right?

His phone buzzes again, several times in swift succession.

_9:20:51: DO I HAVE TO CALL THE COPS LIL BRO_

_9:21:03: ARE YOU DEAD_

_9:21:18: DO I HAVE TO AVENGE YOUR BRUTAL MURDER_

_9:21:26: IF THIS IS A SERIAL KILLER READING THESE TEXTS I WILL FIND YOU_

_9:21:33: I WILL GIVE YOU A HURT SO BAD_

And okay, now Raleigh really has to respond. He manages a quick,

_9:21:40: Not dead. Now shut up_

Yancy swiftly replies.

_9:21:51: YAY_

_9:22:00: OKAY KEEP TRUCKIN_

Satisfied that his brother is going to stop blowing up his phone, Raleigh tosses the thing back onto his pants (where his shirt is, he’s not sure, and that’s going to be awkward when he’s forced to run out of here, but oh well) and flops back onto the bed, running back through last night’s memories.

Man, last night had gone completely differently from how he’d expected.

He’d let Yancy drag him out to the bar, because Yancy wanted to get laid (which was fair) and he wanted a wingman (also fair) and no one but Raleigh would suit (an annoying habit of his). Of course, after the initial couple of “Haaaave you met Yancy?” introductions, Raleigh was left to amuse himself while Yancy chatted up ladies. His eyes had lit on the pool table and, hey, working the rust off of his aim sounded more interesting than watching his brother flex his biceps for his giggling audience.

He’d gained company about twenty minutes in.

“Looks like you know your way around a cue.”

“It’s been a while. Still a little rusty.” Raleigh had straightened up, waved at the table. “Best way to work that out’s a game, though. You wanna play?”

“Wouldn't mind shaking some rust off, myself.” The stranger had held out a hand. “Name’s Herc.”

“Raleigh.” They’d gotten straight down to business from there. Their skill levels had been about the same, so they settled comfortably into their game, making easy conversation and throwing terrible jokes around. And okay, so maybe there had been a little less business and a little more checking each other out as time went on. Raleigh had tried to keep his staring to a minimum, but Herc had been bending over the table to take shots and his jeans had been tight, and Raleigh was only flesh and blood, okay?

Now that he thinks about it, being distracted by the strip of skin that flashed whenever Herc’s shirt rode up had probably contributed to his sound defeat. He hadn’t minded as much as he probably should have, especially since it gave him the chance to shake Herc’s hand, and say, "Wow. I've got to buy you a drink. Let me buy you a drink."

"Is this a congratulations drink, or a take me home with you drink?" Herc had said, grinning slyly while Raleigh maybe went just a little red. (Or actually, he’d probably gone full tomato, but this is his recollection, and he can paint himself in a better light if he wants to.)

"Well if you put it that way... wanna go to yours or mine?" Which, hey, not the smoothest line ever, but Raleigh's lying in bed the morning after with some very pleasant aches making themselves known, so it must be a cliché for a reason.

He scrubs at his face as he remembers last night, glances over at the other side of the bed again, and winces as his brain comes to the logical next step. Because yeah, that was some really good sex, but what does he do when Herc wakes up?

It’s not as if they’d had a conversation about the morning. Shit, he's really not sure how this works. Usually, he gets kicked out, or he wakes up on his own with a cold bed, and a note that says "last night was great thanks". At that point, he and Yancy make “woo, we got laid” pancakes, or he makes Yancy “I’m sorry you didn't get laid and had to listen to me all night" waffles. Either way, he’s not used to waking up at someone else’s place and not wanting to go home right away.

What breakfast food is even appropriate for this situation?

Should he even try to make breakfast?

A soft "... huh." from the other side of the bed breaks Raleigh out of his train of thought. He turns his head and blinks at Herc, who is apparently awake now.

Raleigh waves. “Um. Hi.”

Herc blinks and waves back.

They stare at each other for a few more beats before Herc says, “So should I pretend to sleep so you can grab your pants and leave?"

That is … a confusing question. “I… what?” Raleigh’s brow furrows.

Herc grimaces, wry and somehow sad-looking in the morning light. “Well, we could have an awkward conversation where I ask you to stay, and you make excuses about why you have to leave before rushing out of here like the hounds of hell are after you, but I figure it would be less of a problem if we just pretend that you left before I woke up.”

Oh. So that’s how it is.

Raleigh decides to go for broke. “Or I could do neither of those things and, um.” He curls his hand around the back of Herc’s neck and gives in to his desire to kiss Herc's mouth into a more pleasant shape. He lets himself indulge in a soft, sweet press of lips, before he draws back, ducking his head and grinning up at Herc through his lashes.

“Good morning?”

Herc looks really quite charming when he's got that hopeful little half smile on his face

“Now it is.”

Raleigh laughs and strokes his fingers over the soft hair at Herc’s nape.

“So if you want me to leave, now’s your last chance to kick me out.”

Herc slides a hand over the curve of Raleigh’s hip, pulls him closer as he murmurs, “No, I like you right where you’re at.”

He kisses the corner of Raleigh’s mouth, and laughs breathlessly when Raleigh kisses him back, murmuring, “Funny, I do too.”

They’re chest to chest and Raleigh is nipping playfully at Herc’s lower lip, hands drifting lower as he starts entertaining the hope that he’ll get a sequel to last night’s adventures and maybe even an invitation to dinner sometime.

This is when a loud knocking at the door startles them both apart. As it starts to creak open, Herc yelps, "HAT ON THE DOORKNOB."

The door slams shut and a male voice on the other side hollers, "WHA--?? SHIT, I DIDN'T NEED TO KNOW THAT."

Raleigh blinks.

"Uh. So. You don't. Live alone then.... ?"

Herc rubs at his face. "No, and he wasn't supposed to come home until tomorrow morning."

"Ah." He thinks hard about this situation, then asks, "Just to be sure, I'm not the other woman here, right?"

"Oh god, no!" Herc’s eyes go wide, and he pushes his hand through his hair, ruffling it into wild spikes. "I realize this might be a deal breaker too, though."

Raleigh grins as he reaches out to smooth Herc’s bedhead down. "Uh, if that's not your husband, there's very few people that could be that would be deal breakers, I think."

Herc leans into Raleigh’s hand, eyes fluttering shut even as he sighs. "You say that now, but that's my son Chuck home from uni."

"... huh." Raleigh slides his hand down to cup Herc’s jaw before pulling back. "Okay, cool, I can deal with that." And to prove it, he finds Herc’s hand where it rests on the bed and curls their fingers together.

“Yeah?” Herc turns his hand over and squeezes Raleigh’s.

“Yeah.”

They must look like idiots, sitting naked in the bed and grinning dreamily at each other, but like Raleigh cares right now. This is perfect.

Or at least, it is until his stomach takes it upon itself to wreck the moment again by emitting the most terrifying gurgle known to man.

"Aah." He curls in on himself, covering his face with his hands in a futile attempt to hide. "Life really doesn't want me to have morning after sex."

Herc’s bark of laughter startles him into peeking out from between his fingers. "Happens to the best of us, mate.” The other man slaps Raleigh on the shoulder. “Guess we oughta get something to eat if you're staying a bit longer."

Staying a bit longer sounds amazing to Raleigh, but his traitorous mouth asks, "But your son?"

Herc shrugs. "Will deal. If he's old enough to move out, he's old enough to deal with the fact his dad has people over."

"Okay." And then Raleigh lights up, remembering his earlier train of thought. "Do you want me to make you breakfast?"

“You cook?” Herc has a strange look on his face, part disbelief and part something else.

“Well, sometimes.” Raleigh rubs the back of his neck, ducks away. “I mean, if you don’t mind me mucking around in your kitchen and stuff.”

"Oh hell no. 'S just been a while since anyone wanted to cook in this house." The strange expression resolves into an awed grin. "I was planning on waving vaguely at the toaster and pulling out some juice."

Affectionately, Raleigh knocks his forehead against Herc's. "Not bad, but I think I can do a little better if you've got milk and eggs."

He texts Yancy later.

_11:34:22: It's official: when you wake up with someone who you want to stay with and who wants you to stay too, you make them "can we go steady?" french toast._


End file.
